Wednesday, 31 December 2008

Not another bloody top ten list.

Guys, I am ill. This is not fun. It's New Year's. I had plans, I did. But instead I'm curled in bed with my laptop and a streaming nose, reading old skool feminism and vampire porn and feeling extremely sorry for myself. So, treasured readers, please help out and make my evening bearable and your future reading experience shinier by responding to the following short survey or meme. Participatory citizen journalism for, as Stalin used to say, the win.

1)What is energising you politically for 2009?

2)What have you enjoyed on Penny Red in 2008 (if anything)?

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

5) If I were to make you a lovely cup of tea, how would you want it? (Milk, sugar, blood of Christian babies?)

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

Thanks, comrades, and thank you for keeping up with PR this year. See you on the other side.

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

...real life is good. It makes it feel more human, less robotic.

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

...I'm Mark. 2009? No idea. Um, You left teh door open.

5) If I were to make you a lovely cup of tea, how would you want it? (Milk, sugar, blood of Christian babies?)

..milk, 1 sugar, blood of Christian babies please.

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

Right now I am all out of political energy. the things at which I will be valiantly tilting (those darn windmills!) will be: the Government's plans to use me (and all the other unemployed people) as de facto slave labour; and the Government's plans to "deal with" prostitution (by making it more dangerous for the sex workers)

2)What have you enjoyed on Penny Red in 2008 (if anything)?

I liked the cartoons you had.

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

Nothing springs to mind.

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

Suffering and joy; heartache and cheer; tears and laughter; sorrow and love - the usual! I'm just a kinky person whose deviant nature is well beyond the "standard deviation". Right now, I'm just chillin', having a bud, watching the game.

5) If I were to make you a lovely cup of tea, how would you want it? (Milk, sugar, blood of Christian babies?)

I prefer coffee, actually... two sugars, just a touch of milk or cream (but not fussed which).

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

It's a damn sight better than the only realistic alternative, which is political INcorrectness gone mad!

1a) I don't want the Tories ride a wave of "Things Can Only Get Better" all the way back to a reverse 1997. Maybe things can get better, but I don't think the Conservatives will be the ones to usher it in.

1b) As always, the press is the biggest thing I want to shout about; however, I'm not really that active at the moment in any anti-press stuff.

2) This is the first year I've read the blog, and I've found most of it interesting!

The article I linked others to the most was this:http://pennyred.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-do-you-want-from-us-sample-for.html

The articles I found most interesting to read were those where you talked about conflicts with other organisations/bloggers, and how you worked to address those conflicts, particuarly the recent article where you suggested that the various liberal bloggers don't have to agree if they can just cooperate on the issues they share.

3) More of the latter above!

4) Hopefully, moving jobs and getting more settled in Cambridge. I'm in your house because your company's good fun and there's plenty of tea, which brings me on to...

Ahh, New Years sickness.I actually had the first year in 3 where I where able to maintain the proper procedure of drinking until I lost my feet.I got home at 7 in the morning, so I haven't been home that long actually.But I can tell by my headache that I had a good time yesterday.Last year I broke a finger a day or so before Christmas, which kinda put me off the whole thing.And the year before that I ate something bad and spent the night throwing up and shivering on the bathroom floor.

But anyway:1.Everything. Alright, almost everything. Mans injustice toward man, conflicts, liberty, and all those other fancy words I should really know by now.2.All the posts that made me go "Fuck Yeah!" over the year. And since there are quite a few, I think you're doing quite the good job.3.I like to get to know my writers, so things going on in real life isn't bad. But don't just do it because we think it's a good idea. There are tons of blogs to read if you want to hear gossip, and that sorta thing.4.Hello, My name is Emil and I'm an alcoholic, drug fiend, and in general a social misfit.2009 looks to be the year where I get a proper job. This does not thrill me too much, but it might get interesting I suppose.And I'm stealing your tea to piss you off. Besides, it might result in a awesome post about tea thieves and rooftop chases.5.Just as it is. It's a lovely cup of tea, why ruin it?6."Fuck you in the eyes with a rowboat too!"Cheers! And get well soon.

Sorry a bit late to help you through new year's eve, but hope this will be interesting anyway.

1)What is energising you politically for 2009?

Honestly, I am taking a longer view on it now, I don't have much hope for 2009 per se. But I guess learning about history is making me a bit more optimistic. i.e. that people are resilient and they try and try again even when they are beaten down. Reading Amitav Ghosh and hearing of 1857 in India was quite heartening, for example. Also important for preserving a continuity, these things do not happen in isolation, there is a tradition of resistance. Ditto in the UK. 90s rave culture is beginning to interest me at the moment.

2)What have you enjoyed on Penny Red in 2008 (if anything)?

- Oxbridge graduate disillusionment resonates strongly with me! This may not seem very socialist, but I think if graduates from elite universities can feel disenfranchised, then it does rather expose liberal capitalist meritocracy as a sham.- Anger and bravery to say certain things openly, especially regarding sexual politics; including a willingness to shock and be downright crude if necessary!

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

- I guess with regard to topics, I'd like to see a bit more abstract history and analysis, that doesn't necessarily have to link to current events in an obvious way. But then perhaps that's just the nature of a blog that it has to be very present focussed.- Re real life - this is difficult. To be honest, I'm not that interested in the real-life stuff, but at the same time it's hard to see how you could make your points so forcefully and persuasively without referring them to your own direct experience and activism, and you wouldn't seem so daring if you were posting anonymously. I'd liked your post about meeting those guys on the tube for example, that was heartening.

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

Erm, I'm Ben, this would be about my 4th attempt at an introduction, but suffice to say I have not made it to your house yet, I am only a cyberstalker :-P

5) If I were to make you a lovely cup of tea, how would you want it? (Milk, sugar, blood of Christian babies?)

Mint tea with about 4 sugars.

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

I probably use it more often than I hear it. With me it's an ironic sign of approval.

I'm just a radical feminist blogger who likes your style of writing and enjoys reading what you have to say. Also the "Oxbridge graduate disillusionment" and the fact that some of your problems are similar to mine.

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

Really, the more time I spend working in education, the less I think this is a mindless phrase used by idiots, and the more I think it describes something that is a real & major problem in some sectors :(

Of all unlikely sources, this from Timoth Garton Ash:The unexpected I expect in 2009 is called Lily the Red. She's a student leader, and she will be to the youth protests of 09 what Danny the Red (Daniel Cohn-Bendit) was to those of 1968. I don't know where she will pop up - maybe Berlin, maybe Berkeley, maybe Beijing, or perhaps in all three. Nor do I know which shape her radical and utopian views will take.

She's nicknamed "the Red", and her views are more likely to be in some sense of the left, but crises of capitalism also have a tendency to throw up radicalism on the right. Anyway, in this respect I do think the Greek student protests are a taste of things to come. Across the world, we are producing more university graduates than ever before. Next year most of them won't get jobs. Don't be surprised if they blame the system - and look for another world.

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

I'd love to see you pulling together some facts from further afield than this week's broadsheets. Listen to your inner wonk!

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?I can't help imaginging a Hindu goddess, screaming through a bullhorn, brandishing a little red book, wearing as a necklace the shrivelled, still-gibbering heads of right-wing pundits. I realise I'm probably the only person who thinks this, but retreating into fantasy beats the alternative.

1) The growth of the IWW. The ongoing success of the Open Rights Group. My recent half-decent pay rise (cheers, RPI), wot I got by going on strike. Above all, discovering that Benny Rothman's pliers are still in use.

2) I like the way that your writing makes me think about the way that I felt at about 2pm on June 18th 1999.

3) More of the same, please. You've nothing to learn about this kind of writing, and your pace and style rock.

4) (i) I'm just this guy. (ii) DIY, childcare and a book contract, all being well. Perhaps a bit of minor telly. (iii) I'm a friend of Dave. OK, Dave's heard of me. We like, kind of know the same people? Can't you ask him to ring them up to check? Alright, I'll go now. I'm sorry.

5) Bag in the mug for five minutes, then show it some milk.

6) "Is it? I thought it was justice turned on its head. Or if not that, final proof that the country has arrived at the dogs. My bad, obviously."

3) More thoroughly sincere ass kicking. Excursions into the "real" (not in the Zizekian sense, but the sense of being...not at a computer) do enhance the personality of a place, but maybe I'm just nosey.

Some recommendations of truly hawt vampire porn wouldn't go amiss.

4) Ben, 17, setting up a sit-in protest between youth and adulthood.

5) Tea makes me hurl, unfortunately. Then again, I haven't tried it with a generous shot of sacrificed christian infant...

6) I break the offender's legs, ship them off to Equador/Chile/the Antarctic and scream "HOW DO YOU LIKE BEING A DISABLED IMMIGRANT NOW, Y'BASTARD?"

1. Vague dreams, mostly. Abject despair at the current situation. Quite a lot of gin.

2. The quality of the writing.

3. More of the same, really! I've enjoyed this blog a lot since finding it.

4. Doug, angry leftist student, Green, exorcising an ability to get much done in the real world by moaning about it on the internet. Very little idea what 2009 holds, beyond some exams at some point in April...

6. Writing an appalled letter to the Guardian with my eco-friendly non-stick recyclable multicoloured crayons. That, at least, is what I imagine anyone who utters such a phrase would like to think I'd do, at any rate. Reality probably involves rather more abusive behaviour on my part. Possibly with the same lack of efficiency, though.

Thanks Penny - 'Hope you are now fighting fit again! I found your blog after saying "Hi" at Guardian Kings Place debate. 1.Politics:with me it's local extension of environmental stuff - Kings Cross Access Campaign + other wider world things.2.Your writing is great! 3. You should follow your inspiration and write what your heart tells you.4.Checking out your territory as I re-activate from child-rearing...over-the-hill and aging rapidly in body, not soul. 5. Tea with milk please!6. Can politics ever be "correct"?

The Progressive London conference should be interesting. The Boris mayoralty and stopping it happening again.

2)What have you enjoyed on Penny Red in 2008 (if anything)?&3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

I quite like what you cover as it is.

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

Getting aware and active for the first time ever. It's very exciting...but scary. The world is a lot worse than I realised.And the anti uni fees march in february in London! Other than that, I'm relying on people like you to keep me updated on how I can get involved!

2)What have you enjoyed on Penny Red in 2008 (if anything)?

Everything! Wow I love it. The first post I read was the gender fucked one about healthy womanhood, and I loved it so much I havn't left.

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

Keep up the good work! I love your takes on the news, and reading your incredibly eloquent and intelligent rants. The posts on real life are really interesting, I do enjoy reading them. Lets us know where you're coming from.

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

Hi! I'm Anna, student, aspiring vegan, socialist, feminist, queer and unapologetic, but only recently so. 2009 is more learning, of both the curricular and extra variety. It holds studenty money worries, swimming in the sea and playing an accordion. I am in your house to thankyou for being part of my well needed education. I think we would get on well.

5) If I were to make you a lovely cup of tea, how would you want it? (Milk, sugar, blood of Christian babies?)

Strong, soy milk, no sugar please! And no more than baby. New years resolution, you know how it goes...

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

It's treating all people with equal respect gone mad! My goodness, we can't stand for this! *Slams down copy of the daily mail indignantly*

http://www.backlash-uk.org.uk, NO2ID, The relief (at least for the moment) of election results in the US and the terrifying prospect of the results of the next election here, and Burma still imprisoning people for telling jokes.

2)What have you enjoyed on Penny Red in 2008 (if anything)?

24 weeks and Palin-ahoy

3)What would you like to see on this blog? Are there any topics I should be covering and haven't? Things I should be writing more about? Would you like more or less of the delightful little excursions into my life in real life? If anyone suggests post ideas, I'll try and get around to them in the New Year.

Write some of those stories where you think there's a monster, but then there isn't a monster at all, and it's all just a metaphor. Or is it...?

4) Introduce yourself! What does 2009 hold for you? Who are you and what are you doing in my house?

I'm Matt. People pay money and I talk to them. Sometimes in different countries. In fact a lot in different countries at the moment, which is embarrassing as I now owe the world a forest.

And what do you mean? I live here. If this is your house, how come there are pictures of me crudely drawn all over the walls in still-wet ink?

PS. I think I heard a monster.

5) If I were to make you a lovely cup of tea, how would you want it? (Milk, sugar, blood of Christian babies?)

Strong, no sugar, and so little milk you'd think it doesn't make a difference but it does and you're wrong.

6) How do you respond to the statement 'it's political correctness gone mad!' ?

1) Not sure yet.2) The violently anti-Tory posts. And all angry polemics which have a narrowly focussed target.3) Not sure yet.4) Not sure yet.5) Black. No sugar. Whiskey.6) When did it go mad? Has it always been that way or was there a point at which it was existent but sane?

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Penny Red is...

Laurie Penny, 25, journalist, author, feminist, socialist, utopian, general reprobate and troublemaker. Lives in a little hovel room somewhere in London, mainly eating toast and trying to set the world to rights. Drinks too much tea. Has still not managed to quit smoking. Regular writer for New Statesman, The Guardian and The Independent. Author of Meat Market (Zer0 Books, April 2011) and Penny Red (Pluto Press, October 2011).

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